Method of making a shoe last or a shoe tree



Aug. 21; 1956 H. c. VINING 2,759,206

METHOD OF MAKING A SHOE LAST OR A SHOE TREE Filed April 15, 1955 UnitedStates Patent METHOD OF MAKING A SHOE LAST OR A SHOE TREE Howard C.Vining, Brockton, Mass., assignor to Jones &

Vining, Inc, Brockton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts ApplicationApril 15, 1955, Serial No. 501,521

1 Claim. (Cl. 12-146) My present invention is an improved adjustableshoe tree, being an improvement on the type of shoe tree illustrated inmy prior Pat. No. 2,518,261 dated August 8, 1950; and the object of thepresent invention is to improve and perfect shoe trees of the type shownin said patent.

It is Well known that a shoe tree for use in holding boots and shoes inproperly extended condition for display or for preserving the style,shape, and appearance of same requires that it be easily and readilyflexed to be inserted in a completed shoe or removed therefrom, and thatthe shoe tree should have a bearing on the heel portion and a full andcomplete supporting and distending contact in the forepart.

Also, such shoe trees to be efl'icient should be substantially in theform of a complete last to extend the shoe in a smooth even contourthroughout, and to be readily and quickly flexed to permit insertion inor removal from the shoe without unduly stretching or injuring the shoestructure itself.

Important objects of the present invention are to provide such a shoetree of general last-like contour, to provide a strong, simple, andeconomical construction, and to afford a full support particularly onthe forepart of the shoe, while permitting a speedy pivotal action ofthe forepart and heel part when Withdrawing the shoe tree or applyingthe same to the shoe.

In the construction of my said prior Pat. No. 2,518,261 a member unitingthe forepart and heel part was pivoted in a saw kerf or slot formed inthe forepart and extended into a recess in the heel part, which wasthreaded to allow lengthwise adjustment. While this was a highlydesirable construction, yet it required a plurality of operations,boring into the heel part and sawing the forepart while these two partswere separated and, therefore, had to be separately handled and theaccurate alignment and fitting of the two parts together with thefitting of the uniting element and pivot pin required multiple handlingoperations.

By my present invention I have discovered a new, simple, and eflicientconstruction wherein the pivotal member has its pivot pin fitted in theheel part where the Wood is wider and stronger, and wherein thealignment of the adjustable hinged element is effected With bothforepart and heel part in assembled relation, boring the recess for thehinge element directly from the top of the last downwardly toward thetoe portion before dividing the fore and heel parts.

Furthermore, I have discovered that it is an important feature andadvantage to have the connecting member in this type of shoe treesubstantially in parallelism with the upper portion of the forward orfront cone part of the last, together with a specially advantageous lineof cut dividing the forepart and heel part, which line of cut isperpendicular to the normal position of the adjustable hinge element andat an angle of substantially 45 between the line of pressure from theheel to the toe of the last.

Patented Aug. 21, 1956 Said line of cut also is formed from a relativelyhigh point on the forward or cone part and into the arch portion of thelast or tree and of the shoe to which the tree is to be applied.

A further object and feature of my present invention is to have theconnecting element consisting in a threaded end portion to fit in theforepart, and a flattened and perforated portion to fit in the heelpart, wherein said perforated portion is in the form of a slot whichwill provide for relative longitudinal movement between the forepart andheel part and thus afford a quick separation to facilitate the flexingof the heel part relatively with the forepart to remove or apply thesame to a shoe.

Thus the heel part is pivoted to the connecting element and the oppositeend portion of the connecting element is threaded and fitted into theforepart, thus providing for a limited adjustment by the relativerotation of the heel part and forepart on said connecting element.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of mypresent invention:

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in cross-section illustrating my improvedshoe tree in normal and extended position with a pivot pin shown atopposite ends of the slot for the connecting element;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding side view partly in crosssection illustratingthe shoe tree in flexed or broken position, with the two parts separatedfor the limit of the slot in the connecting link element for quickflexing and removal from a shoe.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the forepart of my presentimproved shoe and 2 the heel part divided on a line of cut illustratedat 3, which line of cut is from a relatively high position on the frontof the forepart, as shown at 4, and extending in a rearward lineterminating at 5 in the shank portion of the shoe tree or of the shoe towhich it is to be fitted. The connecting and hinged single link elementcomprises a straight rod 10 having one end threaded as shown at 12, andthe opposite end flattened as indicated at 13, and having therein alongitudinal slot 14. This slotted end is intended to fit in a saw kerf15 in the heel portion 2, and the opposite threaded end portion of theelement 10 is constructed to be threaded into a bored opening 16.

This bored recess 16 is formed while the forepart and heel part are inassembled condition and, preferably, before the saw cut 3 is made, saidbored recess being made from the top 20 of the last in a straight lineapproximately and closely parallel with the front or cone of the last,as shown in Fig. 1. Thereupon a lateral bored opening for the pin 21,which is also the pivot on which the two parts hinge, is made at anappropriate distance to engage the slot 14 in the flattened end portionof the connecting element 10.

With these two bored openings, the last is then cut on the slanting line3, which, as best shown in Fig. 1 on the dotted line 25 is substantiallyat an angle of 45 between the line of pressure from the heel portion tothe toe portion, as indicated at 3. The connecting element is thenfitted into the saw kerf 13 until the pin 21 is assembled therewithengaging the slot 14, and thereupon the threaded portion 12 is threadedinto the opening 16 of the forepart and the last thus assembled.Relative longitudinal adjustment is secured by rotation of the heel partand/ or forepart, thus threading or unthreading the connecting element10 in the forepart recess 16, as will be readily appreciated. Afinishing top or cover 26 may be supplied if desired, covering the boredrecess 16 and a handle of any desired type, as indicated at 30.

The process of making my improved shoe tree and the ease and economy ofthe manufacturing method, as Well as the speed and facility of theoperation in applying same to and removing from a completed shoe, willbe readily appreciated. I consider the process as herein explained to benovel and important, and I wish to claim both the process of manufactureand the completed article as herein described.

I claim:

The improved process of making a wooden shoe tree with forepart and heelpart united by a single metal link having One end threaded and theopposite end with an oblong hole therein, which consists in turning theform, then boring a recess from the top toward the toe in the centralpart of the Wood of the form at an angle of 45 relative to the line ofpressure from heel to toe, then severing the tree into separate forepartand heel part on a line perpendicular to said bored recess from a pointin the cone below the top and rearwardly to the bottom in the shankportion of the form, thereupon cutting a narrow slot in the heel part ona line with the bored recess,

421 then cross-boring said heel part intercepting said slot, thenfitting the threaded end of the link into the recess in the forepart andthe opposite oblong holed end into said slot in the heel part, anddriving a pin thru the cross-bored opening and thru said oblong hole inthe link, thus uniting the forepart and heel part, with provision forseparating said parts to the extent permitted by the length of theoblong hole thru which the pin extends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS914,409 Hansen Mar. 9, 1909 947,387 Koster Jan. 25, 1910 1,753,908Scimonelli Apr. 8, 1930 2,158,394 Baas May 16, 1939 2,503,227 ViningApr. 4, 1950 2,518,261 Vining Aug. 8, 1950

